At HELP University’s 31st Convocation 2019, Datuk Dr Paul Chan, President and Vice-Chancellor of HELP University announced that HELP had been awarded Premier Digital Tech status by MDEC thus solidifying the university’s efforts to transform itself into an analytics driven university.
To support this transformation HELP invested RM25 million in the Business Analytics and Technology Innovation Centre (BATIC), to be used to innovate and incubate techno-entrepreneurship.
In addition HELP has signed up with Bloomberg to set up the largest Bloomberg Finance Lab in Malaysia. This resource facility boosts the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting, the ELM Graduate School and the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology in the area of economics, business, finance and analytics training.
Recently 19 students from the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology decided to set up an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club so they could gain exposure in working with industry on AI projects.
Currently, the AI Club students are working with Fabian Bouhier, a Tech advisor from Celebrus Advisory, a blockchain advisory industry partner on a waste management project that would allow the AI students to utilize artificial intelligence and develop a recycling prototype that would enable all types of waste to be composted. Still in its early stages, Dr Fong Pui Kwan, senior IT HELP lecturer and advisor for the club hopes the AI Club students could eventually develop the concept into a real business model thus transforming the project into a profitable venture.
Dr Sien Ven Yu, Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology said,
“In our efforts to expose our students to latest and emerging technologies, we are currently collaborating with The Star and MIMOS on student final year projects focusing on AI, analytics and IoT. Our student projects with our various industry partners have greatly enhanced student learning in terms of providing students with practical learning opportunities in bridging the gap between classroom instruction and the many challenges facing real-world problems.”
Recently, four Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) students won fourth place in the nationwide SAS FinTech Challenge 2017-2018, competing against students from 200 institutions of higher learning, including finalists Asia Pacific University (APU), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UniTen), Nottingham and University Tunku Abdul Rahman( UTAR).
Dr Sien said,
“We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements. The FinTech students were challenged to think and learn new skills beyond the classroom.”
The HELP Diploma in Information Technology (DIT) is also recognized for entry to the top ranked University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, where the student completes another one and half years to graduate with a University of Queensland BIT degree.
Amraj Singh, who won a UQ scholarship to complete his Bachelor of Information Technology in Australia, is the first HELP Diploma in Information Technology student to be awarded a UQ scholarship.
Currently, the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology (FCDT), HU offers a total of four programmes, the Diploma in Information Technology and three degree programmes.
The Diploma is a two year programme, which opens up pathways to two top Australian universities, UQ, Australian National University and Cardiff University in the UK.
The three degree programmes are the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) as well as the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Data Analytics and also Mobile Computing. The Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) (Hons), encompasses the Work Based Learning (WBL) component. WBL is a platform that provides students with the opportunities to undertake units of academic study for which credit is awarded through work placements.
The FCDT also enjoys a popular credit transfer arrangement with UQ, which allows students to transfer to UQ for the Bachelor of Engineering, BIT and BIT (Hons), Bachelor in Computer Science programmes.
HELP Diploma in IT students can progress to UQ to complete the BIT in one and half years, and the Bachelor in Computer Science in 2 years.
For BIT, there is a 2+1 credit transfer arrangement with UQ; and a 2+1.5 credit-transfer arrangement for the Bachelor in Computer Science. Students can also pursue their Master in Computer Science under this credit transfer arrangement with UQ.
In January 2018, the FCDT introduced a completely new program, the Postgraduate Certificate in Software Engineering (PGCSE) in collaboration with the International Technological University (ITU), a Western Association Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredited non-profit graduate University in San Jose, California, located close to high-tech companies like Apple, Google, Cisco and Apple.
This unique one and a half year Master of Science in Software Engineering enables students to gain a full year of working experience in the US, where they are paid a salary and gain work experience at the same time.
The pathway requires students to spend six months at HELP University and complete five modules before being accepted at ITU.
For more information on the next intake on 23rd May 2019, please call 03-27162000 or log on www.help.edu.my